This Turkish orange and onion salad is a great addition to any summer menu. It’s light, refreshing, and a nice deviation from the usual greens. It also lacks the usual heavy or processed dressings. The simple dressing of olive oil, and herbs doesn’t overshadow the sweetness of the oranges. I love this salad!
The color contrasts are beautiful.
This is a Turkish salad whose name is Portakal Salatsi. The name Portakal is derived from Portugal. What’s the connection? Well, at one point in time the best oranges came from Portugal. Such was their fame that the Arabs actually changed their name for oranges from naranj to porteghal. Interestingly enough the word for orange in Spanish is naranja, which is derived from an old Sanskrit term naga ranga. I find the similarities in the words fascinating! By the way… my Puerto Rican friend informed me that in Puerto Rico, oranges are called Chinas!
Orange’s origins
Oranges are thought to have originated in Malaysia (SE Asia). They eventually made their way to China around 2200 B.C. They were offered as tribute to the emperor. This early on oranges were admired for their medicinal properties and the aromatic value of their essential oils.
Eventually, oranges made it to Europe via the Silk Road traders. By the end of the second century A.D. they featured at the lavish banquets of the Roman aristocracy. Oranges were taken to the New World by Christopher Columbus who consequently planted the first orange tree in the Americas. The first American plantation of oranges was in St. Augustine, Florida. During the gold rush in California, certain unscrupulous doctors made a hefty profit by selling orange juice to scurvy afflicted prospectors. The dose? A spoonful!
Needless to say, this Turkish orange and onion salad goes perfect with grilled kebabs or any other grilled meat for that matter. Take it to your next picnic, and your friends will love you. Or, enjoy it as a quick side to a weeknight meal. It’s a great and delicious way to get your vitamin C.
Now, orange you glad I posted this recipe? Sorry, I could not resist!
This recipe was adapted from the book “The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking” by Ghillie Basan
Orange and Onion Salad
Turkish or Portakal Salatsi orange and onion salad goes perfect with grilled kebabs or any other grilled meat for that matter. Take it to your next picnic, and your friends will love you. This has a nice contrast of flavors of sweet and savory.
Ingredients
- 3 oranges cut into slices ( sweet naval oranges work nicely)
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 8 Kalamata olives
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel the oranges and remove the surrounding pith.
- Slice oranges to a thickness of 1/4" and place on a large serving platter.
- Slice onion thinly. Place in a container and sprinkle with salt. Allow them to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Place onions on top of the sliced oranges. Scatter the olives on top.
- To prepare the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together olive oil,thyme, and oregano
- Drizzle over oranges.
- Serve with a sprinkling of sumac, and mint garnish.
This looks fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome Derek!
This combination looks beautiful and it sounds good too. I am pinning to my salad board!
Thanks Joann!!
I have never added olives to my orange salad, but I think it will be a great addition.
Thanks, I think so. It also looks pretty!!
What a lovely salad! The combination sounds wonderful…definitely something I would like!
Thanks Michelle. Try it out. It is so refreshing.
What a delightful salad, This is great for summers.
Indeed it is Hirra. It is so refreshing!
Wow! Gorgeous photography and a mouth-watering recipe. Thanks for linking up to Blogger Brags. I’ve pinned your post to the Blogger Brags Pinterest board.
Thanks Sarah. It is a great recipe. Thanks for pinning!!
What a wonderful combination of flavors for a nice summer dish! I’m going to feature this recipe at the new Merry Monday party starting Sunday night. So glad you shared with us at Merry Monday!
Thanks so much Shirley!!! I so appreciate it.
Ok, well, the title didn’t’ sell me, but the pictures sure did! Wow, that looks amazing! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, and can’t wait to see what you link up this week!
You’re welcome Megan. Do you have any suggestions for a better title?
🙂
I love the sweet and salty combo here! Fabulous flavor achieved!
Thanks Kristen!
This combination of the oranges and olives and onions intrigues me. I love that you always have a history lesson in your posts!
Thanks Denise. I love history! It’s so much fun to do research on food items and food traditions. I am glad you like the history bit.
KC, sumac has a really tangy flavor. It’s what used by the Romans before the Arabs brought citrus to Europe. You can get sumac at http://www.penzeys.com I like to sprinkle a little sumac on my hummus. I also recently had dinner at an Arab restaurant and my tilapia came with a little sumac sprinkled on top.
Simple and tasty – always good! I’ve made something similar and it was delicious.
Thanks Caroline. Yes, it is so easy.
I love how simple this is but out of the ordinary as well!
Thanks Jade! Yes, it is a bit unusual.
I always love when simple ingredients come together to create something so delicious. This is perfect for hot weather eating. Sounds refreshing and so easy.
Gloria, this is indeed a unique dish. It is really refreshing. I think you will like it. It’s a perfect accompaniment to anything from the grill. Thank you so much for the 5 star rating.
This looks so good and so unique! I love it! I love that this is low in carbs, too! Love the origination story….all that history is so interesting! Thanks for posing such a unique and yummy recipe!
Oh my, what a beautiful little salad! So perfect for a summer starter salad. I can’t wait to try this. The sweet orange and the salty olives sound so good together!
Kate, this salad is perfect for any summer picnic. The contrast of flavors is amazing. I hope you get to try it soon.
i have never heard of this salad but absolutely digging the use of herbs!
Thanks Dixya. It is really tasty.
This is such a perfect salad for this time of the year, the ingredients combo sounds just about amazing!
Thanks Andrea. I think you will like it. Yes, the mixture of ingredients is fabulous.
This is such a gorgeous salad! I love the combination of flavors!
Hi Madi, thanks for the compliment, and for the 5 star rating. I think you would like it. Yes, the combo of colors is lovely as well as the taste. 🙂
So simple! I was looking for a side dish for some grilled steaks tonight, and I think this is the winner!
Hi Leslie! Glad you found a side dish for your steaks. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
What a lovely fresh salad, I’ve tried olives with oranges before so will definitely have to try this!
Hi Michelle! Thanks for the 5 star rating. I hope you like this salad.The flavors are so fresh, and I love the colors. I am all about pretty food. 🙂
That sounds delightful! Wonderful contrast in flavors, and so refreshing on a hot day!
Thanks for the 5 star rating Anne. Indeed, the contrast of flavors is amazing, as is the contrast of colors. A feast for the eyes, and palate in my opinion. 🙂
I love how simple this salad sounds! It’s so pretty, too. Some of the least amount of ingredients yield the biggest flavors. This is going on my “to try” list. 🙂
Kim you are absolutely right, the least amount of ingredients can yield amazing flavors. Thank you for the 5 star rating. I hope you get to try it soon. 🙂
This recipe has so many of my favourite ingredients but I would never have thought of putting them together in one dish. Genius! i will try it 🙂
Hi Amy. I hope you get to try this salad. It is so unique, and refreshing. Let me know how you like it . Thank you so much for the 5 star rating.
Ooo this flavor combo looks amazing and it especially because this salad combines some of my favorite things (oranges and onion) in the kitchen, I can already imagine how good it tastes. This one actually had me drooling. I totally intend to try this!
Hi Femi. Thanks for you comment. I think if you like oranges, and onions, you will love this salad. It is so refreshing. It is one of my favorite side dishes, especially during the warm weather months. By the way, thank you for the 5 star rating.
I love how simple this salad is! I love oranges and this dish is calling my name!
Hi Matt. thanks so much for the 5 star rating. I hope you get to try this dish, especially now that the warm weather is upon us, finally.